Agarathos monastery is located 25 km east of Heraklion, and is dedicated to the Assumption of the Virgin Mary. It was one of the richest monasteries of Crete during the Venetian period and not only.
It is estimated that it was founded in the 2nd Byzantine period and its name came from the plant "agarathia". Until the 16th century, it was a small monastery, and later developed to a fortress. Several great personalities such as the scholar Joseph Bryennius, the patriarch of Alexandria Theodore II and many more have began from this monastery.
Today exist 2 gates and some buildings from the fortress. The monastery has an olive oil press where the monks produce olive oil from their own olive groves and a wine press. Finally the monastery has a museum with ecclesiastical exhibits and historical objects connected to the monastery.